Pastoral Team

**Peter Ahn**
*Lead Pastor*
Pastor Peter—or “PP” as his fellow Metro staff members call him—still finds it difficult to believe that the Metro Community Church of today all began with just a humble vision God planted in his heart back when he was a seminary student at Fuller Theological Seminary. Since completing his M. Div., Pastor Peter has relocated to Leonia, NJ where he now resides with his amazing wife, Jenny, and their three beautiful children, Christina, Kayla and Christian. He is a major proponent of the belief that spiritual health and physical health are closely linked and, thus, lives out this conviction by incorporating nutritious diet and consistent exercise into his daily schedule. Pastor Peter finds it difficult to name just one thing he loves about Metro, but his absolute favorite part of Metro would have to be the church community that is not afraid to “keep things real.”
Email: peter.ahn@emetro.org

**Steve Bang**
*Executive Pastor*
Steve Bang grew up in New Jersey and first visited Metro Community Church in the summer of 2011. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications at Rutgers University and then pursued a career in Information Technology.
After serving as a volunteer teacher in Metro's 4th and 5th grade ministry, God revealed a different calling for him: to pursue a career working with youth. With a servant’s heart, Steve worked as Director of the Metro 4th & 5th grade ministry.
After several years in that position, God called Steve to apply for the Executive Pastor position at Metro where he now serves.
Email: steve.bang@emetro.org

**Sanetta Ponton**
Associate *Pastor of Justice, Advocacy & Compassion*
Sanetta holds the unofficial title of "native daughter" of Englewood, NJ. Having grown up in Englewood, she is a proud graduate of the Englewood Public School District and has been blessed to receive degrees from Columbia University (BA), Harvard Law School (JD), and Duke Divinity School (M.Div.). It was in law school that God called her to ministry and she has been on a roller coaster ride with God in formal ministry ever since. She has served in Houston, TX; Durham, NC; and even as far away as Kenya. In addition, she faithfully served in her home church, First Baptist Church of Englewood, for 6 years as an Associate and later Assistant Pastor before moving to Metro. At the same time, she spent several years working with a law-related (gotta use that law degree) college prep program in New York City. Her heart beats for justice, equity in education, and to see the realization of the prayer, "thy kingdom come". Sanetta has the most fun when she's with good people, eating good food, and (preferably) while traveling somewhere that requires the use of her passport.
Email: sanetta.ponton@emetro.org

**Doug Cho**
*Associate Pastor of Community Groups & Discipleship*
Doug was born in the local Bergen County area and is a Jersey-boy at heart. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and graduated with a degree in Finance and received his M. Div. from Alliance Theological Seminary in 2018. He would never have chosen this direction for himself, but he is so glad to be where he is now. Doug is married to his wife Sonia and is the proud father to his daughter, Lucia. Doug is often characterized by his loud laugh - so if you're looking for him at church, just listen out for it. He enjoys exercising and staying at home to play games with his online community.
Email: doug.cho@emetro.org

**Ancy Post**
*Associate* *Pastor of Student Discipleship*
Pastor Ancy was born in India but grew up locally in Teaneck, NJ. She is a woman of many gifts; in addition to her M. Div. at Alliance Theological Seminary, she has received both a B.A. in Physical Therapy and an Advanced M.A. in Developmental Disabilities at New York University.
Pastor Ancy has an unrivaled passion for the youth, which is so clearly visible in her work with Metro’s Student Ministries. She particularly loves being able to witness, first-hand, children and youth beginning a personal relationship with Jesus, and growing in His love. She is also passionate about justice ministry and works with her fellow staff members and congregants at Metro to serve the Englewood community to which Metro Community Church has been called.
She resides in Mahwah, NJ with her loving husband, Scott, and their beautiful daughters, Parker and Paisley. When she’s not working as a Physical Therapist or serving at Metro, Pastor Ancy loves to spend quality time with her family – whether it’s crafting with her daughters, watching a movie at home with her husband, or attending cheerleading competitions to cheer on her competitive cheerleader daughters.
Email: ancy.post@emetro.org

**Shirley Yang**
Associate *Pastor of Special Needs & Women’s Ministry*
Shirley has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rutgers’s University Douglass College. She also has a Master of Arts degree in Christian Education from Princeton Theological Seminary. Prior to joining Metro Community Church, she served as the Director of Children’s Ministry for Pilgrim Church in Paramus, NJ. She is also a NJ certified Special Education teacher and taught children with special needs at Bergen County Special Services. Shirley is a proud parent of her son Ethan and daughter Evelyn.
Email: shirley.yang@emetro.org

**Josue Mollinedo**
*Pastoral Intern*
Originally from Guatemala, Central America, Josue was raised in a family with Christian principles. At the age of 14 he received Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord and took the step of faith to be baptized. Since then he has had a call in his heart to serve the Lord as a Missionary Pastor.
He graduated as a Theologian and was ordained in Guatemala as a Pastor. Josue went through the ECC orientation through CHET.
He is married to his loving wife, Christine, and is still amazed at God's plans to bring him to the US to start a ministry with the Latino community in Englewood through the vision of Metro Community Church. Josue has a passion to teach the Bible, disciple, and share the gospel following the great commission from Jesus: “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 MSG

Email: josue.mollinedo@emetro.org

Student Ministries

**Anna Hong**
*Director of Nursery (0-24 months)*
Anna first visited Metro during its first retreat in 2004, where she found both a church home and her wonderful future husband, Won. She was and is still deeply moved by Metro’s vision of transformation, diversity, authentic relationships, and helping the hurting. Anna has worked in the legal field, academic administration, and is most recently a stay-at-home mom. Anna and Won are parents to three incredible kids - Maya, Charlotte, and Harris. Her passion is for people to live out their potential in Christ, knowing that each person is wonderfully created in God’s image with different gifts and callings. Her desire is to see MetroNursery be a place where our youngest children and their parents can be encouraged to grow in knowing God and community.
Email: anna.hong@emetro.org

**Hannah Kim**
*Director of Preschool + Operations Manager*
In summer of 2010, Hannah and her husband visited Metro and experienced a weird Sunday service that made her question whether or not Metro was a cult church – no sermons, just singing and praying the whole entire service. With some reservations, she decided to give Metro another chance the following Sunday and it turned out that Metro wasn’t a cult church after all, but a church that is passionate about transforming lives of people through personal encounter and growth in relationship with Jesus Christ.
Hannah immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 8 and grew up most of her childhood in various sections of “da Bronx” (go Yankees!). She graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in History, loves eating anything spicy, and enjoys her morning cup of joe (or two, or three). As a mom of three boys, she is finally learning to master the joys of having all her boys in school - it only took a decade!
Email: hannah.kim@emetro.org

**Na Kong**
Finance Director &
Director Of MetroKids (Pre-K to 3rd Grade)
Na and her family first visited Metro Community Church in January of 2011 and was instantly drawn by the honesty and transparency of Pastor Peter’s sermons. They were equally impressed by the amazing children’s ministries available and, today, Na heads up Metro’s K-3 ministry, MetroKids, after serving 4 years as the Director of MetroTots.
Born in South Korea, Na first moved to New Jersey when she was just six years old and has since called the NJ/NY area home. She graduated from Rutgers University in 2000 with a degree in Accounting, but after three years of working in the industry, she decided to get her Masters Degree in Math Education and went on to teach high school math. After her second son was born, Na decided to take a break from teaching to become a stay at home mom but found other ways to live out her passion for teaching children.
Today, she and her husband, Simon, have three sons – Ryan, Matthew & Christian – and enjoy seeing them growing into Godly young men.
Email: na.kong@emetro.org

**Christopher Barbieri**
*Associate Director of MetroKids*
Born in Paterson and raised in Cedar Grove, NJ, Christopher has cultivated a passion for art and education throughout his life. He focused on art during his high school years and pursued a bachelor's degree in Art Education from Montclair State University.
Christopher’s professional journey includes a unique blend of education and technology, where he currently excels in IT with a specialization in Apple device management. His diverse skill set and dedication to service have been instrumental since he joined MetroKids in 2019, during the pandemic.
At MetroKids, Christopher began as a teacher, bringing creativity and enthusiasm to the classroom. His commitment and leadership abilities quickly propelled him to the role of Associate Director. Beyond his official duties, he has been an active volunteer, contributing to food drives and stepping in as a substitute teacher whenever needed.
In his personal life, Christopher enjoys rock climbing, ultimate frisbee, video games, and cooking. He married his wife, Angela, in 2023, marking a new chapter in his life. Christopher’s multifaceted interests and dedication to both his professional and personal pursuits make him a valuable asset to the MetroKids community.
christopher.barbieri@emetro.org

**Coco Kim**
*Director of 4th & 5th Grade, Assistant to Lead Pastor & Associate Director of MetroLife*
Coco has always held Englewood in a special place in her heart – she was born in Englewood, graduated from the Academies at Englewood, and has called Metro Community Church home since 2005 – when she was still in high school!
Earning her Bachelors in Fine Arts in Graphic Design at Rutgers University-Newark, Coco worked as a graphic designer for a few years before deciding to pursue a life-long dream in cooking, where she worked in the kitchens of numerous esteemed NYC restaurants. She also graduated from the acclaimed International Culinary Center, has taught cooking classes, and established her own private chef business.
During the 2020 pandemic, Coco volunteered as a cook and distributed meals to the local community. It was then that she realized her love for cooking is actually rooted in her passion and heart for people – especially youth. After a decade working in the restaurant industry, she is pivoted her career to focus more on this calling, and today she served as the director of Metro's 4th & 5th Grade ministry, as well as the Associate Director or MetroLife.
In her downtime, Coco loves spending quality time with her friends, indulging in all water-based activities, and traveling to eat.
coco.kim@emetro.org

**Samuel Song**
*Associate Youth Pastor*
Pastor Sam was born in LA but grew up in Hawaii and has always had a love for the outdoors. He is, and always will be, a West Coast boy at heart. He earned a BA in Christian Ministries from Azusa Pacific University and then pursued an M.Div. at Alliance Theological Seminary. He is currently a Chaplain in the Army Reserve.
After serving in various ministry roles, God revealed a calling for him to, once again, work closely with the youth. With a heart for mentorship and spiritual growth, he is excited to join the team as the Associate Youth Pastor.
He is happily married to his beautiful wife Leah, and they are thrilled to be expecting a baby girl. When he's not serving, he enjoys playing golf and indulging in all-you-can-eat sushi.
Email: samuel.song@emetro.org

Media, Communications & Technology

**Isaac Nho**
*Media Assistant + Content Manager*
After leaving his parents church in Upstate New York, Isaac found his home at Metro Community Church in the fall of 2011. Since then, he has spent his time serving with the Setup Crew and the Frontline Ministry. Isaac's role within the church expanded, accepting a voluntary role assisting Metro's media director, Timm Chartier, with week-to-week media responsibilities. After several months of familiarizing himself with his roles, he was offered a place on the Metro staff as a Media Content Manager and general media assistant.
Isaac has two years of media experience (blogging and social media) in the fashion industry; covering men's high-end fashion. In his off hours, he is freelancing as a photographer and contributing to film projects as a videographer.
Email: isaac.nho@emetro.org

**Timm Chartier**
*Director of Tech Ops*
After immigrating from Australia to NJ in 2008, Timm discovered Metro on Google Maps and has been attending the church ever since. Four years later, in 2012, he would join the Metro staff, serving as Metro's Director of Media & Communications.
During his 8 years as Media Director, Timm discovered a passion and talent for solving operational and technical problems at the church and, in 2021, he transitioned into the role of Director of Technical Operations, where he oversees all of Metro’s administration, engagement, and communication systems.
When he’s not making sure that the Metro "machine" is running smoothly, he enjoys spending time with wife, Christine, daughter, Luella, and loves to relax with a video game controller in hand (or VR headset on his face), playing the latest in interactive entertainment.
Email: timm.chartier@emetro.org

Worship Arts

**Katrice Walker**
*Worship Director*
Katrice Walker is a New York City transplant from Cleveland, Ohio. Since moving to Queens in 2005, she's had multiple opportunities to live out her two passions: music and ministering to/discipling adolescents through a non-profit outreach organization called Young Life. Musically, she’s had the privilege of singing alongside countless recording artists within a wide range of genres such as; Beyoncé, Wynton Marsalis, Kim Burrell, Drew and Ellie Holcomb and Spiritualized (an English space rock band). Formally, she’d served as a worship leader and youth choir director for twelve years at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral of NY. However, her passion for multicultural ministry led her to Metro where she is grateful for the opportunity to be who she truly is: a bridge builder, bringing different people together in worship.
Email: katrice.walker@emetro.org

Justice, Advocacy & Compassion

**Deborah Moore**
*Director of Care Ministries*
Deborah (aka Mama Moore) is a born and raised Jersey girl who has witnessed significant life changes over the years. She marched in the 60's for race equality, 70's for world peace, and most recently marched for race equality, as well as the #MeToo movement.
Caring for people is in Deborah's DNA. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High school in 1970, she received her nursing license from Camden County Community School of Nursing and worked for many years nursing and nurturing the physically and mentally ill.
The mother of two, in 2014, Deborah moved back to NJ to live with her daughter, Tera, who introduced her to Metro Community Church. Compelled by Metro's vision of "transformation", she quickly became integrated into church life.
She has served in Metro's art’s, justice, and spiritual formations teams, and today leads the Care Ministries at the church, which allows her to use her God-given gifts to reach out and care for those in need in the community.
In her spare time, she loves to read, sew, quilt, paint, make slime, and she also makes and teaches jewelry making – she never met a bead that she didn't like! Being creative is not something she does... it's who she is!
Email: deborah.moore@emetro.org

Board of Elders

**Aaron Furtado**
Aaron was born into a God-loving family in southern India.
He and his wife, Raksha, started attending services at Metro in 2015, became partners in 2016 and, over the years, have developed deeper connections within the Metro community.
Aaron has previously served on the Metro Welcome Ministry and, currently, serves on the Sunday morning Setup team under the able leadership of Pastor IJ.
Aaron works in the pharmaceutical industry, enjoys hiking when time permits, and also serves on the board of CUMAC, a non-profit that helps the underserved in Patterson, NJ.
Aaron and Raksha have a beautiful daughter, Aanya, who was baptized by Pastor David at Metro.
Email: aaron.furtado@emetro.org

Jorge Feliz

Jorge has attended Metro since 2007 where, over the years, he has served in a variety of teams including setup/breakdown, welcome, MetroKids, and the arts in ministry. At one point, Jorge was even a member of the Metro staff. Today, he works as an attorney.

Jorge met his wife, Phoebe at Metro back in 2008, and they have three kids together – Mia, Siena and Luca. Easily entertained, Jorge likes playing sports, video games, watching movies, listening to podcasts, playing on the guitar, fooding, board games, etc.

jorge.feliz@emetro.org